davison



Aug. 21, 1923.

V. A. DAVISON AUTOMOBILE BUMPER Filed Dec. 26. 1922 Patented Aug. 21, 1923.

UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

VERGIL A. DAVISON, 0F DETROIT, EECHIGILN, .ASSI'NGR TO CINCINNATI BALL CRANK CCMPANY, 0F CINCNNATI, OHIG, it CREGRTION OF OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE BUMPER.

Application led December 26, 1922.

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that .1, VnnciL A. DrivisoN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Detroit, in the county 0f Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented new and use-V ful Improvements invAutomobile Bumpers, of which the following specification is a full disclosure. Y,

This inventonrelates to improvements in automobile bumpers, and more particularly to bumpers of that type which may be characterized by the utilization of a relatively non-yieldableV impact member or bar mounted upon the free ends of a pair of resilient supporting arms respectively securely clamped to the ends of the longitudinal frame members of an automobile, either the front or rear end service.

The object of the invention is to provide a construction; for a bumper. which combines strength and adequate protection with simplicity of structure and mode of attachment.

A preferred construction embodying the invention is disclosed inV the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of one of the resilient arms for supporting the non-yielding impact bar, as applied to the end of one Vof the automobile longitudinal frame inembers with the impact bar shown in cross seetion.

li`igure 2 is a front elevation of the bumper.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a shoe plate interposed between the end of the resilient arm and automobile frame.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5, Fig. 4.

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively front and side views of a modified form of resilient arm.

The bumper comprises in general a nonyieldable impact member l, in the `term of a round bar or tube, preferabiy straight throughout its length, two. supporting members 2-2 of gooseneek shape of resilient steel bar stock, secured at their forward ends to the bar at points spaced inwardly from the ends thereof, and their inner ends adapted for clamping latwise to the longitudinal frame members 3-3 of the antomobile.

Considering the parts of the bumper more in detail, the impact member or bar l is of .a length sufficient to extend the full width Serial No. 608,881.

ofthe automobile of average size, and of shaped, each supporting member 2 is some-v what irregular in conformation, as shown in Fig. l, the outermost portion or limb 5 being somewhat longer than the innermost portion or limb 6, and curving slightly rearwardly from the vertical. The end of the limb 5, in the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, .is bent forwardly and downwardly in the 'torni of a loop 7 surrounding the impact har l, ,the end 8 of the loop being brought parallel with and flatwise toward the limb at the base of the loop. This provides a split ring shackle clip integral upon the end of the arm to receive and frictionally clamp the iinpact bar for securely uniting the parts, this end formation developing the structure into gooseneclr shape or configuration. The loop portion is of reduced metal thickness facilitating' in forming the loop, increasing the resiliency of the loop, and also decreases the weight of the arm structure as a unit.

In the form shown in Fig. l the clip 7 forms a separate element from the arm and is secured to the liinb 5 `by a bolt 9 which compresses the clip for frictionallv clamping the impact bar. is slightly curved., as at 5a, to conform to the shape of the underside of the loop and provide a seat for the loop. This type of structure being preferable as offering increased strength and presents facilities in production. 4The arrangement, though a simple one, permits the lateral adjustment of the arms along the bar. a feature that maires `the bumper attachable to different makes of automobiles, and particularl;7 those that didier in width between the frame mehr bers.

The rearmost and shorter portion or limb 6 of each supporting member extends rearwardly and upwardly at an angle of sub- The end of tlie limbo stantially e150, itsend portion .being fashioned with slight degree of reverse curvature, conforming to the curvature of the frame member 5l Vthroughout its eXtreme end por tion. The limb 6 lies latwise along the upper tace ot a shoe plate l2 engaged upon the frame member 3, and the part clamped thereto by means et a U-bolt l0 stradling the iframe member, its screw threaded ends being anchored in a transverse bar ll bearing a, lii'nst the top surftaee of the arm G o'i the support member 2f I@ s clearly shown in l, the shapingo the supporting members 2 2 determines the position et the impact bar l. relative vto the points ol attachment, as well as tbe Vital parts oil the automobile; namely, at a distance forwardly ant. above the torward ends ot the aine members, thecentral longitudinal anis of the vimpact bar substantially.

intersecting the perpendicular to a linetangent to the curved plane oi' contact between the supportingmembers and the frame mem- Ybers at the Vpoint ot connection of vthe U-bolt This relative position or the impact bar, the conformation oi: the supporting members and their mode ot attachment to the trame members, influences, in a large degree, tbe manner in which a blow reeeivediby the impact member is resi ted and absorbed. lt is conceived that the t vree of a blow directed horizontally vagainst tl'iebar would primarily be taken up by the resiliency vojt thefarms, with a minor portion transmitted as a direct thrust to the Viframe members. A severe blow however would tend to flexthe spring structure about the lil-belt connection upon the frame membersY and ,the Iforceot" the blow dellecteiil either upwardly o r downward] y. in otherwords, thetendency under a Very severe impact would betoroll,thefarms rearwardly, along the frame members, and bendingthc same atthepoints of connection before the bar would come in contact -with-the radiator or lamps, or the tull force transmit-teilte tbe trame members.

ln short, the bumper is capable of undergoing a tensiderable degree vot' distortion even to the point ot destruction, before the 'torce ot impact is delivered with dan'laging e'l'tcct to the vital parts ot the automobile, er its Yi'ull effect transmitted to the frame tbereo'l".

'The shoe plate l2 has vits upward sidecurved conforming to the shape of the klimb 6 oi" the supporting me; ber or arm, with the end ol tbe limb engaging an abutment 13 as :i cross rib or Atiangfre onvone end et the shoe plaie. The upper side o'll the plate has a central recess lll Vformed therein. to receive a protuberance on the lower side ot the Alimb 6 iter binding the parts against longitudinal displacement one upon theother. The lower side oi" the shoe plate is recessed providing longitudinal land cross marginal ribs or lia-nge l-l6 respectively `and a central flange l1LT, the recesses providing a. clearance for rivet or bolt heads extending from the upper side of the automobile frame 3. rllhe cross ribs 16 Vprovideedges fora gripping engagement with the surface ot the france3 for more rigidly securing the parts together. Having described my invention, l claim: l. An automobile bumper, comprising a transverse impact bar, and supporting meinbers consisting of resilient bars ot substanA tially ifi-shape, having one end portion bearing liatwise against the automobile frame members, an intermediate portion curving forwardly `below the end 'of said trame member, and a substantially longer outer end portion extending upwardly above and torwardly'beyond'the frame member and terminating` with a resilient loop for receiving andit'rictionally clamping the impact bar.

t2. An automobile bumper, comprising an impact bar andl resilient bars for attaching said impact bar to the autotmobile trame members, eaclrbent to provide anend portion to be clamped in flatwisel Contact along the upper surface ot the end o1" one of said frame members, vthence downwardly -below and forward beyond the end ot said trame member, and thence upwardly with slight rearward curvature to form-the 'forward 4end portion terminating a substantial distance above and y'forwardly of the ends of the trame member in a loop surrounding said Vimpact bar. 'l Y 3. An automobile bumper, comprising an impact ,bar Vadapted lto be mounted transversely infront of an automobile, and supporting members therefor, consisting of resilient bars, each bent to provide an inner end portion adapted to be clamped flatwise lalong ,the upper face of the automobile frame member, an intermediate U-shaped vportion extending below the endvr of Said trame member, and a substantially vertical forward portion terminating a substantial distance above'said trame member inlOOped ends surrounding ,said impactI bar, rsaid outer portions constituting vertical impact surfaces disposed 'forwardly of said impact baf- 4t. An automobile bumper, comprising an impact bar adapted to extend Ytransversely in `t'ront o 'f an automobile, and afpair of re- Y silient attaching bars eachV bent to 'form an inner end portion adapted to be clamped .flatwise to the end .portion or' an automobile iframe member, an intermediate U-shapcd portion below said frame member, land an outer end portion extending upwardly ,with a slight Arearward curvature above said trame member, land looped at itsendvaround said impact member, said outer Yportions forming vertical impact surfaces lying substantially in the plane of the impact face of said impact member.

5. An autotmobile bumper, comprising a pair of resilient flat bars of approximately gooseneck shape, each having one end portion bearing fiatwise against an automobile frame member and an opposite resilient split loop end to encircle an impact bar engaged through the loop, means engaged through the bar for compressing the loop for frictionally clamping the impact bar, and an impact bar engaged through the looped ends of said bars.

6. An automobile bumper, comprising a transverse impact bar, supporting members therefor each consisting of a resilient flat bar of approximately U-sha e having a butt end and an opposite end o loop orm for engagement about -the impact bar and adapted to frictionally clamp the impact bar, a shoe plate providing an end abutment and seat for the butt end of said resilient bar for securing the bar to an automobile frame.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing witnesses.

VERGIL A. DAVISON. Witnesses:

RALPH F. MILLER, R. H. VVooD. 

